The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality situated in the southeastern coastal region of the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
Overview
Type of municipality: | Metropolitan (Category A) |
Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
Municipal code: | ETH |
Seat: | Durban |
Wards: | 103 |
Total area: | 2,556 km² (987 square miles) |
Population: | 4,239,901 (in 2022) |
Controlling party: | ANC/EFF Coalition |
Mayor: | Cyril Xaba |
About
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality was established in 2000 and includes the city of Durban and surrounding towns.
The name ‘eThekwini’ is derived from the Zulu word iTheku which means a bay or lagoon.
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality covers an area of 2,556 km² (987 square miles) and is geographically located in the southeastern coastal area of KwaZulu-Natal
The administrative headquarters/seat of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is in Durban.
It is bordered by uMgungundlovu District Municipality to the west, iLembe District Municipality to the north, Ugu District Municipality to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the east.
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal. It is topographically hilly, with many gorges and ravines, and almost no true coastal plain. It is accessible via N2, N3, and King Shaka International Airport.
It is one of four coastal metropolitan municipalities in South Africa, the other three being Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, and the City of Cape Town in the Western Cape.
The majority of eThekwini’s residents are racially Black Africans and speak isiZulu as their first language.
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is home to Africa’s best-managed and busiest port, the Port of Durban
The Metropolitan Municipality is also home to the world-class International Convention Centre in Durban which has hosted a historic line-up of events, including conferences on a global scale.
Map

Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 4,239,901 residents, compared to 3,702,231 in 2016, and 3,476,686 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.93%.
According to the 2022 Census, 21% of the population is under the age of 15, 72.2% is between 15 and 64, and 6.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 72.2% of the population in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 19.7 as Indian/Asian, 6% as White, and 2.5% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, the first language of 62.8% of the population is isiZulu, while 26.8% speak English, 3.9% speak isiXhosa, 1.7% speak Afrikaans, 1.1% speak isiNdebele, and 3.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of eThekwini are finance, manufacturing, community services, trade, transport, construction, and electricity.
Municipal council and management
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is governed by a 222-member city council.
The council members are elected by mixed-member proportional representation. 111 councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 111 wards, while the remaining 111 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
Controlling Party | ANC/EFF Coalition |
Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 96 – DA: 58 – EFF: 24 – IFP: 17 – ACTIONSA: 4 – ABC: 2 – ACC: 2 – ACDP: 2 – AIC: 2 – ADEC: 1 – ALJAMA: 1 – APF: 1 – ATM: 1 – DLC: 1 – JEP: 1 – KZNI: 1 – MF: 1 – MOSA: 1 – NFP: 1 – PFP: 1 – PRM: 1 – TA: 1 – UIM: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
Executive Mayor | Cyril Xaba |
Deputy Mayor | Zandile Myeni (Chairperson: Security and Emergency Services Committee) |
Speaker | Thabani Nyawose |
Chief Whip | Patience Sishange |
Other Council Members | – Yogiswarie Govender (Exco) – Nkosenhle Mandlala (Chairperson: Governance and Human Resources Committee) – Thabani Mthethwa (Exco) – Bhekithemba Otto Mvubu (Chairperson: Human Settlements and Infrastructure) – Mduduzi Nkosi (Exco) – Braveman Thembubuhle Ntuli (Chairperson: ECOD Committee) |
Municipal Manager | Musa Mbhele |
Chief Financial Officer | Sandile Mnguni |
Senior Management | – Sipho Cele (Governance and International Relations) – Dr Musa Gumede (Community and Emergency Services) – Mapule Hadebe (Chief Audit Executive) – Sibusiso Makhanya (Trading Services) – Kim Makhathini (Corporate and Human Resources) – Mavuso Tshabalala (Chief Operations Officer) |
Communications Officers | – Mandla Nsele (Acting) – Thabani Nyawose (Spokesperson) |
Cities/Towns/Places
Below are some of the cities/towns/places in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
Amalanga, Amanzimtoti, Amaotana, Berea, Blackburn, Bluff, Cato Crest, Cato Manor, Cato Ridge, Cele/Vumengazi, Chatsworth, Cibane, Clermont, Clifton Canyon, Craigieburn, Dassenhoek, Desainager, Durban, Durban International Airport, Durban North, Durban South, Emalangeni, Embo/Nksa Isimahla, Emona, Ethekwini, Everton, Ezembeni, Folweni, Gcumisa, Genazzano, Gillitts, Glenashley, Golokodo-Ensimbini, Hambanathi, Hammarsdale, Hillcrest, Ilanga, Ilfracombe, Illovo North, Illovo South, Inanda, Inchanga, Iqadi, Isipingo, Isipingo Beach, Kingsburgh, Klaarwater, Kloof, KwaDabeka, KwaMashu, KwaNdengezi, La Mercy, Lotus Park, Luganda, Luthuli/Umnini Trust, Magabeni, Malagazi, Mangangeni/Vumazonke, Maphephetha, Mariannhill, Mawotana, Mawothi, Molweni, Mount Edgecombe, Mount Moreland, Mpolo, Mpumalanga, New Germany, Newlands East, Newlands West, Ngcolosi, Ngqungqulu, Ntuzuma, Oceans, Outer West Durban, Phoenix, Pinetown, Prospecton, Qadi, Qiniselani Manyuswa, Queensburgh, Redcliffe, Roseneath, Sapref, Shallcross, Sobonakhona, Thoyana, oThongathi OR Tongaat, Tongaat Beach, Tshelimnyama, UmgogintwiniUmbumbulu, Umdloti, Umgababa, Umhlanga, Umkomaas, Umlazi, Verulam, Waterfall, Wentworth, Westbrook, Westville, and Ximba.
Contact details
The contact details of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality are listed in the table below.
Postal address: | PO Box 1014, Durban, 4000 |
Physical address: | City Hall, 263 Dr Pixley Ka Seme Street, Durban |
Telephone: | 031 311 1111 |
Fax: | 031 311 2170 |
Email: | sizakala@durban.gov.za |
Website: | www.durban.gov.za |